The Life of Death: The Bare Bones of Undertaking by Ralph Rossell

Growing up, living in, and working in a small-town funeral home may not be for everyone, but it certainly means life is never dull. Ralph was born the month his father and mother moved to Flushing, Michigan, to work in his uncle's funeral home. Dinners and sleep interrupted by calls from families were a common occurrence, but so were the heart-warming moments helping grieving families.

The Life of Death is a collection of stories about Ralph's memories of the funeral home, both growing up and then working there as a licensed funeral director for more than 45 years. Just about every aspect of the funeral business is in the book: early burial practices, mortuary school, death calls, ambulance calls, caskets, burial vaults, monuments, clergy, doctors, pathologists, hospitals and cemetery (the good the bad and the ugly). 

There are stories of thievery, premonitions, paranormal as well as lessons learned. There are happy stories, sad stories and humorous ones. The Life of Death is crafted to be an interesting and enjoyable read and will give an otherwise unknown look at life and death in the eyes of an undertaker. 

It may very well change your own perspective of life.